Susan Theder ADVISOR MARKETING
CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTER
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fa-mag . com / cecenter your post ? You ’ re asking this because you want to make sure the content is so valuable that even vastly different people would find it interesting . A mentor of mine once said he held his content to the “ wife / partner / friend test .” Is your post something your clients will read and likely bring up in conversation later with their spouses , partners or friends ? If the answer is yes , then you can feel good about your post . 5 . How Often Should You Post ? One of the most common questions advisors ask about social media can also be one of the most difficult to answer : “ How often should someone post ?” The pithy answer is “ As much as you want !” But it ’ s more important to aim for consistency . You want to set a goal and plan for the month ahead with some evergreen content . That serves as a foundation on top of which you add timely content . Vary your topics , and don ’ t forget to engage with others ’ posts . Our rule of thumb is that for every post you make you ’ ll want to engage with four others ( by “ liking ” or commenting ). Look for posts from key clients and prospects , centers of influence , reporters or community leaders , and consistently add meaningful comments to their posts . This could not only dramatically increase your network but it will often lead to off-line conversations .
A Few More Best Practices
Here are a few more things to keep in mind as you share news articles on social media :
• Paywalls are frustrating . Double-check to see if an article is accessible to everyone before sharing . For some news sources , you may be able to “ gift ” an article from your subscription for free .
• Avoid divisive topics or wedge issues . People are passionate . Some may decide whether or not to work with you based on values completely unrelated to your skills as an advisor .
• Are you forwarding real news ? Or paid opinion ? If your audience regularly engages with financial content , there ’ s a chance competitors have bought ad space next to any article you want to share . That ’ s fine and shouldn ’ t concern you . However , you ’ ll want to check to make sure anything you share is unbiased reporting and not written by a firm that paid to place the article .
• Check the comments section . Some compliance teams won ’ t allow advisors to share articles with an open , unmoderated comments section . Even if your team does , check the comments to make sure they don ’ t contain a river of toxic content .
• Keep it fresh and current . Posting week-old news that everyone has already seen won ’ t serve anyone . The sooner you post , the more advantage you ’ ll have in setting the tone with your perspective .
Why Sharing News Matters
Your clients live in a media-saturated culture . Online news content surrounds them . While you can ’ t control what they see online , you have an opportunity to help shape their financial worldview . Think of your posts as an anchor in a stormy sea . Even if misinformation floods your clients ’ devices , a few steady posts with your seasoned perspective can help them establish credible sources and understand the critical context .
As they say , an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure . Phone calls , meetings and other client communications may go more smoothly if your clients receive regular insights into your views on market conditions , economic trends , legislative change and other timely news items that may affect their financial goals .
Beyond that , remember that your social media feed doesn ’ t always have to stay serious . The best news story might often have nothing to do with the markets . Don ’ t hesitate to share a recipe , a travel destination or an inspirational story . And when you see a client sharing something you appreciate , consider taking a moment to “ like ” it or leave a friendly comment , which makes it even more likely that they ’ ll do the same for your posts .
SUSAN THEDER is the chief marketing and experience officer at FMG Suite .
20 | FINANCIAL ADVISOR MAGAZINE | MAY 2023 WWW . FA-MAG . COM